Man steals over 100 phones at Coachella music festival

INDIO, Calif. — Police are warning people attending the giant Coachella music festival in the Southern California desert to take measures to safeguard their cellphones.

The note of caution follows the arrest of a man stopped with more than 100 cellphones in his backpack on Friday, the opening of the festival’s first weekend.

Indio police Sgt. Dan Marshall tells The Press-Enterprise that festivalgoers should keep their cell phones in their front pockets and wrap the devices in an elastic band or a case so it can’t easily be pulled out of a pocket.

Marshall says it can be very crowded and it’s easy to get lost in the sensory experience of lasers, dancing and loud sounds.

People should also keep their eyes on their phones at charging stations.